


Kintsugi [金継ぎ]

by silver_butterfly



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Kintsugi, Light Angst, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, art of kintsugi, genji is broken, please protect genyatta, zenyatta teaching genji to love himself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 08:39:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14257119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_butterfly/pseuds/silver_butterfly
Summary: Zenyatta only wanted to show him that flaws exist to make a person beautiful, for flaws are one of the things that make a person unique. And he found the perfect way to achieve that.





	Kintsugi [金継ぎ]

**Author's Note:**

> Kintsugi (金継ぎ, "golden joinery"), also known as Kintsukuroi (金繕い, "golden repair") is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, a method similar to the maki-e technique. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.
> 
> [taken from wikipedia]

Τhe air was bonechilling that fateful night.The smell of wet soil was intense as it kept tingling his nostrils.

Nepal was a simple town. Peaceful, hidden behind a wall of rough mountains. There was rarely any conflict between the few residents that remained there.

Genji kept still, listening to the soothing sounds of the night, feeling the warm wind caress his skin.He tried to keep his breathing low and steady, but his heart didn't stop pumping fast inside his chest from the adrenaline of the recent events. His master was right beside him, meditating ,unlike Genji ,who couldn't for the life of him get into that familiar headspace. That beautiful state of mind where everything becomes blank, the world slows down, spirit and body become one.

Zenyatta was the name of his beloved master, one of the thousand awakened omnics, but only one of the few who decided they had a bigger part in this world. That fate had a plan for them to fulfill.

(Master was comfort, a safe heaven.It was a wonder when he would admit that to himself)

Nepal was truly peaceful, that is, when it doesn't have troubled young men wreaking havoc every once in a while as residents.

Zenyatta had good intentions when he had approached him just a few hours ago. He lulled him with sweet words if front of a mirror, his most hated object. His heart trembled as he looked himself into the mirror. His mind became hazy, almost not hearing his master as he requested he took his mask off. It was difficult to comply and he almost protested. But a force inside of him didn't allow him to do so.

So he took off that unfeeling scrap of clothing. Master told him to let it fall on the ground and reluctantly ,he did.His breath caught in his throat. It was just a face that he saw in the mirror. Yet without the mask, he could see it clearer. The scar that ran along his right cheek, the blemished, the dark circles under his eyes.

He saw himself into the mirror and panicked ,because he didn't want to face and accept reality.

Zenyatta kept silent ,as an internal storm kept growing inside of him. Chaos, terror. And he was ugly, covered in silver metal. Where was his flesh? Where was the blood that runs through the veins of any living creature.

Why had he agreed on any of this?And who was that omnic beside him, trying to heal him.No, that omnic didn't know a thing.

A sudden rage started piercing his bones and Genji fleed. He ran, because his adrenaline was infinite in that moment. He arrived to Nepal and screamed loudly into the sky.

Nepal was a peaceful and quiet town, except for that loud voice that kept travelling with the help of the buildings. His breathing was loud and hectic.In a moment of wonder,he looked down and touched his chest.He could breath, could feel the air filling his lungs in.

That realization was what made his knees buckle.

Genji was anything but weak, yet ,in that moment, he felt the most vulnerable. The most naked.

This is why he returned back home. (Home, was that his home?)

It was already dark when he arrived, sitting in the garden at the back of the house. Zenyatta loved flowers. He said they were what brought him tranquility.He sighed, still feeling his heart pumping into his chest. He almost lost his composure when he felt his master's presence. He looked to his right. Master had already gone into his meditation mode, before he could voice a single word. And that's how he found himself in that situation.

Momentarily ,he found it in himself to get up and leave, but looking at the flowers all around them , he knew he couldn't disappoint his master anymore than he already had. "Flowers are not afraid to open up their soul to the sun." ,Zenyatta had said when he had asked about his love for said flowers," They are not afraid to untangle their petals and spread them wide, because they know they have an important role in this petty world."

Genji then closed his eyes and started meditating too.

**~*~**

 

 

He woke up early a few days later , not being able to stay asleep with the sound of the raindrops hitting the window. He stayed laid on the futon , starring at the ceiling. The mask was laying too, beside him, not really feeling like wearing it anymore.

Master and him had an intense discussion the other day. He didn't want to call it a fight, because he was the one that had gotten angry hearing his master's words. He was the one to push Zenyatta to the wall and storm out of the living room. It was his heart that felt heavy as he sat on his futon and screamed in his hands. 

He sighed and ruffled his hair with his hand.

Something about master's whispering and calm words, something about his soothing tone as he voiced those sentimental word. It was late at night, the only thing offering its light was a candle in the middle of the table. And they were sitting around it, across from one another. 

He shook his head trying to discard the memory from his head. Trying to ignore the ghost of Zenyatta's touch as he took his hand into his.

  
He sat up abrubtly when he heard a knock on the door, before it was slidden open.

  
Genji was anything but weak, but in that moment, seeing his master getting  slowly inside the room, he felt the most helpless.

(Master was insurance, peace and his words were a healing force.)

He had a vase in his arms, which Genji recognized it to be one that was once owned by Zenyatta's brother, Montatta, who was crudly murdered a few years ago. 

He kept his gaze glued on him as he entered the room and closed the door behind of him. 

"Good morning, Genji.", he said ,voice light, like he was smiling. Genji gulped and stayed silent. 

"Stand up , my dear student.", he ordered simply and Genji complied , starting feeling numb. The memory kept replaying in his head. Is it possible that master had forgiven him? That he had forgotten?

Genji then was handed the vase, which he took in his hands carefully and stared at it in wonder. 

"I want you to throw it on the floor and break it."

His breath hitched when he heard the words. He almost refused, when Zenyatta repeated his words in a stern voice. 

And so he did, he threw the vase and watched as it scattered in pieces.

  
What was truly on his master's mind ,he wondered.

  
He watched as Zenyatta gathered the broken pieces in his hands.

  
"Follow me." ,he instructed next and Genji did without doubt. 

Zenyatta led him to the garden. He let Genji sit on the grass and left ,before returning back with a ceramic bowl in one hand and the broken pieces in the other. Then he sat in front of him and put the bowl in front of him. 

"What do you see?", he asked. 

Genji bit his lip and hesitantly lowered his eyes to look at the object. It was unique ,peculiar and beautifully decorated, with golden stripes running along the surface in random patterns. He furrowed his eyebrows and briefly wonder if it was cracked or if that was the way it was made. He couldn't understand what he was supposed to be seeing,however.He couldn't find any words to voice. Why would he ever think of sacrifising his beloved vase that he was so keen on protecting all these years. A sigh left his lips and he shook his head. 

"Do you see this bowl?", asked Zenyatta finally, without waiting for an answer this time, "and do you see these broken pieces?", he continued, "This is you, Genji.", he said pointing at the pieces of the broken vase, "You hold pain in your heart, and anger and not wanting to let go has broken you. And now you are lost and you feel useless, vulnerable. But do you wanna know something, dear student? This bowl here was once like this, shattered . But we used its flaws to make something beautiful. It's the cracks that make this bowl unique, isn't it?"

Genji gulped yet the only thing he wanted to do was laugh. And laugh he did, smoothing out the lines that his frown had created on his face. He laughed because that was the first time he'd heard Zenyatta talk that much, because he had let him broken his most valuable vase.  He laughed because the only thing he ever did was cry and be pissed. 

He smiled at Zenyatta ,who was staring at him in bewilderment, and then shook his head.

  
"Thank you." ,he said sincerely. Honestly , he was touched.

  
(Master was warmth, he was home, he was everything) 

"What a troublesome kid that you are.", said his master, but it was fond for Zenyatta would do anything for that troublesome young man. 

And Genji knew he would do anything for his master, too. Yes, that much he knew. He scooted over a little bit closer to his master, and let his hand wrap around his master's before giving it a squeeze.

"Make me beautiful, master.", he whispered. 

"I got you ,Genji. I got you."

  
Genji was anything but vulnerable. But in front of that omnic, he felt exposed, raw.

  
Genji nodded.   
That much he knew.

 

**~~ The END ~~**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this and a big thanks to my friend for finding me this prompt. I hold this fic dearly in my heart, because it truly hides a life lesson behind the words. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writting it.


End file.
